Navalny (2022)

Frost presents the documentary as a fascinating portrait of a courageous, charismatic subject. She praises Navalny’s efforts to uncover the poisoning plot, while noting gaps in the account of his history.

Nugent calls the documentary an urgent, searing account that feels especially timely. He praises its exceptional access, particularly the sequence in which Navalny tricks a suspected poisoner into describing the operation.

Gleiberman calls the documentary a must-see, stirring account of Navalny’s courage and resistance to authoritarian rule. He especially praises the suspenseful investigation that leads to Navalny’s recorded phone confession from one of the poisoning plotters.

Newland finds the documentary gripping, disturbing and humane, and calls it unmissable. She especially praises Navalny’s screen presence, which makes the film immediately compelling.

Chang finds the documentary gripping and sharply assembled, while noting its uneasy mix of timeliness and escapism. He especially praises the electrifying scene in which Navalny tricks an alleged poisoning operative into revealing incriminating details.

Horton finds the documentary riveting and damning, while noting it skims over thorny context about Navalny’s political history. She praises the jaw-dropping prank call that exposes details of the poisoning plot.

The critic calls the documentary ridiculously gripping and essential. They single out its covert-investigation story, which plays like a thriller in a terrifying real world.

Ehrlich finds the documentary slick and suspenseful but politically superficial. He singles out Navalny’s phone call to an alleged assassination plotter as its remarkable, thriller-like centerpiece.

The accessible text does not reveal the critic’s verdict. The standfirst highlights Roher following Navalny as he investigates a plot to kill him.

Fienberg finds the documentary jaw-dropping and tense, though constrained by limited depth. He singles out Navalny’s call to suspected poisoners as a suspenseful set-piece.

Lane finds the documentary gripping, darkly funny, and persuasive, while questioning whether its revelations can reach beyond a sympathetic Western audience. He praises the farcical scene in which Navalny calls a man allegedly involved in his poisoning and gets a confession.

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The review finds the documentary gripping but misguided in its buoyant, triumphant framing of Navalny’s imprisonment and political struggle. It praises the tense phone-call sequence exposing the assassination plot, while faulting the film for sidelining Navalny’s broader political career.

The critic calls it an exhilarating, powerful documentary and the best documentary at Sundance 2022. They praise its unprecedented access and gripping recorded phone call, while wishing for more context about Navalny’s earlier life and politics.

The critic finds the documentary swift, inspiring, and propulsive, and recommends it to anyone interested in contemporary politics. He especially praises its close access to Navalny and the grippingly captured events surrounding his return to Russia.

The critic finds the documentary engaging and often suspenseful, while noting that its scope is not a full biography. The prank call to one of the alleged poisoners stands out as a compelling, tightly tense scene.

The review finds the documentary riveting and humanizing, while ending on a note of dread about Navalny’s imprisonment. It especially praises the investigation’s shift into spy-thriller mode and its jaw-dropping revelation.

The headline presents the documentary as an entertaining thriller. It singles out its thriller-like approach as the key appeal.